University of Pennsylvania Department of Bioengineering
A message from Penn Bioengineering Professor and Chair Ravi Radhakrishnan: In response to the unprecedented challenges presented by the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, Penn Bioengineering’s faculty, students, and staff are finding innovative ways of pivoting their research and academic projects to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. Though these projects are all …
Last spring, we congratulated Penn Bioengineering graduating BE senior Malika Shukurova (BSE ’19) and her co-founder Katherine Sizov (Biology ’19) on their President’s Innovation Prize for their start-up Strella Biotechnology. Katherine began the work for what became Strella as a sophomore in the Penn Bioengineering George H. Stephenson Foundation Educational Laboratory & Bio-MakerSpace. For more …
Continue reading “Strella Biotechnology tackles food waste by ‘hacking the fruit’”
Nearly four years ago, when Angelica Du was a freshman, she recalled being completely “awestruck” upon walking into her first Scholarship Celebration. “It’s just really warm,” the now-senior noted at this year’s event, which took place Wednesday, Nov. 20. “My donors have always been so warm with me.” Du—with a smile that’s constant, as well …
Continue reading “Scholarship donors, students celebrate at ‘electric’ event”
By Sophie Burkholder As technology and hands-on activities continue to become a larger part of education at all levels, a new movement of do-it-yourself projects is on the rise. Known as the “MakerSpace Movement,” the idea is that with the use of devices like 3-D printers, laser cutters, and simple circuitry materials, students, classes and …
Continue reading “How to Build Your Own Makerspace for Under $1500”
by Sophie Burkholder A New Sprayable Gel Can Help Prevent Surgical Adhesions Adhesions are a common kind of scar tissue that can occur after surgery, and though usually not painful, they have the potential to result in complications like chronic pain or decreased heart efficiency, depending on where the scar tissue forms. Now, a sprayable …
by Sophie Burkholder Tulane Researchers Use Cancer Imaging Technique to Help Detect Preeclampsia Preeclampsia is potentially life-threatening pregnancy disorder that typically occurs in about 200,000 expectant mothers every year. With symptoms of high blood pressure, swelling of the hands and feet, and protein presence in urine, preeclampsia is usually treatable if diagnosed early enough. However, …
by Sophie Burkholder Synthetic Spinal Discs from a Penn Research Team Might Be the Solution to Chronic Back Pain Spinal discs, the concentric circles of collagen fiber found between each vertebra of the spine, can be the source of immense back pain when ruptured. Especially for truck and bus drivers, veterans, and cigarette smokers, there …
Advances in Stem Cell Research A paper published this month in Scientific Reports announced a new a strategy for the treatment of segmental bone defects. The new technique, called Segmental Additive Tissue Engineering (or SATE) comes from a team of researchers with the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute (NYSCF). A press release from the …
Holy Grail Found We cover many highly complex innovations here, and many of these innovations solve vexing problems in the healthcare field. However, sometimes the problems addressed by these innovations are not particularly complex, even if the impact is economically significant. For instance, venipuncture — commonly referred to as a blood draw — is one …
Nicholas Stiansen, a senior Bioengineering major at Penn, is one of eight students and alumni receiving a Thouron Award. Nick will receive a full scholarship to cover tuition and fees, plus a stipend of £19,500 (approximately $27,000). He is still awaiting decisions from graduate programs, but his first choice is to study at Imperial College London …
Continue reading “Thouron Award for Bioengineering Major Nicholas Stiansen”